Brian Hioeby Brian Hioe
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Photo Credit: TPP/Facebook
SEVERAL KMT AND TPP lawmakers have come under scrutiny over corruption allegations in the past days. However, it is to be seen whether such allegations affect them politically at a time when recall campaigns against all KMT legislators are ongoing.
In the first scandal, KMT legislator Lee Yen-hsiu is accused of failing to disclose purchases and sales of ten properties in Southern California between 1994 and 2002, as well as holding a US Green Card.
Lee has claimed that the properties were purchased by her father since she was studying in the US at the University of California, Irvine, as well as that she only owned two properties. Lee has denied holding a Green Card.
At the same time, the accusations, which originate from the DPP, are based on property disclosures from the Control Yuan. Elected officials are required to disclose the property they own as part of such reports. These reports date back to when the KMT was in power, before the DPP ever held political power in either the legislature or presidency.
In the second scandal, TPP legislator Wu Chun-cheng is accused of having used his position as legislator to benefit companies and associations affiliated with his family. According to the DPP, 1.1 billion NT in government contracts were awarded to companies associated with Wu’s family members, including his wife, siblings, in-laws, and children.
These companies or organizations are linked to the Strong Generation Association, which is ostensibly to help members of the “Strong Generation”. The term refers to individuals over 55 years old, who are still healthy and willing to work. Wu has built his political brand on advocacy for the “Strong Generation,” penning a book entitled Spring of the Strong Generation. When TPP founder Ko Wen-je invited Wu to join the TPP, Ko cited Wu’s advocacy for such individuals as part of why he hoped for him to become part of his political team.
Facebook post by the TPP announcing Wu’s resignation
The Act for Promotion of Strong Generation Policies and Industrial Development has faced particular scrutiny. As pushed for by Wu, the act would have increased programs aimed at assisting members of the “Strong Generation.” The act enjoyed bipartisan support and was backed by the DPP, KMT, and TPP alike. However, Wu is now accused of having only pushed for the act in order to ensure that his businesses would be able to gain financially.
The DPP has focused criticism on that the TPP sought to freeze 27 items in the Act for Promotion of Strong Generation Policies and Industrial Development, cutting 205 million NT. This freeze is accused of being aimed at freezing budgetary items that did not benefit companies owned by Wu, which would also serve to strengthen the position of such companies.
Likewise, family members of Wu such as his wife, Chang Mei-hui, are accused of holding positions in Jet-Go Consulting Group, which lobbied against regulations on Douyin in Taiwan, and was also involved in campaigning against the legalization of gay marriage in Taiwan. This proves ironic, in that the TPP has sometimes sought to cast itself as more socially progressive than its fellow pan-Blue political party of the KMT.
Chang Mei-hui is also chair of the Strong Generation Social Enterprise, which has the same registered address as the Jet-Go Consulting Group in Taipei.
For his part, Wu denied the claims, stating that he resigned as chair of the Strong Generation Association in January 2024, after becoming a TPP legislator. Still, this does not mean that family members of Wu, such as Chang, may not still be involved in running the Strong Generation Association.
Nevertheless, after several weeks of controversy, Wu announced his resignation earlier today.
Such criticisms against the TPP of using programs that are framed as assisting those over 55 for financial benefit do not reflect well on the pan-Blue camp, seeing as in the same timeframe, the KMT and TPP have pushed for undoing the Tsai administration’s pension reforms in a manner that benefits the elderly, but puts the overall pension system at risk of bankruptcy. The KMT and TPP would be seeking to benefit their support base, which slants elderly, but such moves may be framed as only for political benefit.
Yet the scandal also points to how pan-Blue parties may have sought to use budgetary cuts to try and reshape government spending in a way that benefits companies they are close to. This does not prove surprising, with Fu Kun-chi as KMT legislative caucus leader. Three infrastructure projects pushed for by Fu last year would have primarily benefited clientelist and patronage networks close to Fu, even though this would have crowded out spending for other infrastructure spending.